MADISON — Continued
good news about the state of the economy rolled in
Thursday with the latest report on unemployment in
Wisconsin, which showed that the rate was 4.6 percent in
May and was considerably lower than the national
average.

According to the report from the Department of Workforce
Development based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the national unemployment rate of 5.5
percent for May. In May of 2014, Wisconsin’s
unemployment rate was also 5.5 percent.

Wisconsin’s total employment grew by 31,900
year-over-year while the number of unemployed declined
by a significant 27,800, according to the report.
Additionally, the state’s labor force participation rate
of 67.9 percent in May outpaced the national rate of
62.9 percent.

So far, 2015 is off to a great start for the state.
According to Thursday’s report, average Initial
Unemployment Insurance claims for the first 24 weeks of
2015 dropped to the lowest point since 1995, and the
annual average weekly continued UI claims are at their
lowest levels since 2000.

“As employment estimates often show variation from month
to month, one constant is the challenge employers face
in finding qualified workers to fill openings,” DWD
Secretary Reggie Newson said in a statement. “We will
continue to advance strategies that provide a robust
pool of talent and help employers meet their skills
requirements.”

Also, Wisconsin was one of 15 states with a
below-average unemployment rate in April and
above-average income growth 2014 using per-capita
disposable income, according to the Wisconsin Department
of Revenue.